Portable winch



D. B. HOFFMAN 2,890,857

PORTABLE WINCH June 16, 1959 Filed April 16, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR.

DAVID B. HOFFMAN BY CORBETT.MAHONEY & MILLER June 16, 1959 D. B. HOFFMAN2,890,857

PORTABLE WINCH Filed April 16, 1957 3o\ 2a 40 I 4| 25 a1 i 3l lINVENTOR. DAVID B. HOFFMAN B CORBETT-MAHONEY& M ILLE R 3 Sheets-Sheet 2June 16, 1959 Filed April 16. 1957 PORTABLE! WINCH 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Iill I I J -17 L. a a I 3 I '5' 520 I I I .36 r T I I 1 |5 Q l l i I6 I I33 I I Q I 52 5 I I INVENTOR. DAVID B. HOFFMAN BY CORSET T-MAHONEY LMILLER ATTYS.

ted States Patent PORTABLE WINCH David B. Hoffman, Columbus, OhioApplication April 16, 1957, Serial No. 653,239

7 Claims. (Cl. 254--167) My invention relates to a portable winch. Ithas to do, more specifically, with a portable hand-operated reversiblewinch or Windlass. The type of portable winch to which my invention isapplicable is commonly known commercially as a power puller and hoist.

, Winches of this type basically include a rotatable cable spool or drumwhich is rotated in a cable winding direction by means of an oscillatorylever through the medium of pawl and ratchet mechanism associated withthe lever and drum. Reversing mechanism is associated with the ratchetmechanism to provide for adjustment of such mechanism to permit reverserotation of the drum in a cable unwinding direction.

In the prior art devices, various types of reversing mechanisms havebeen so designed that they interfere with the eificient operation of thewinch when the drum is rotated in a cable winding direction. In oneprior art device, this is due to the fact that the reversing mechanismis so designed that it limits the lever action while the drum is beingadvanced in a cable winding direction. Furthermore, the reversingmechanisms of prior art winches are usually complicated and sensitive,including many parts, such as springs, which can be easily sprung orotherwise damaged to make the reversing action of the mechanismineffective. This is especially true in the typeof prior art machineindicated above in which the lever action in pulling is limited by thereversing mechanism and such mechanism bears the full brunt of the forceapplied to the lever which can cause distortion of such mechanism sothat it will not be positive inaction and may be completely ineffective.

It is one object of my invention to provide a pulling winch or hoist ofthe portable type which is provided with reversing mechanism of such anature that it will not interfere with the efficient operation of theoscillat ing lever and ratchet and pawl mechanism during rotation of thedrum in a cable winding direction.

Another object of my invention is to provide a reversing mechanism for awhich of the type indicated which is extremely simple, positive, andfoolproof, being composed of a minimum number of simple parts which actpositively or will work freely without chance of distortion by the forceapplied to the lever.

Other objects will be apparent.

According to my invention, I provide a winch which includes a rotatabledrum having pawl and ratchet mecha- 2,890,857 Patented June 16,;

ice,

rection but also serves immediately thereafter to disengage the stoppawl to permit the reversing movement of the ratchet and drum undercontrol of the feed pawl. The cam will in no way restrict oscillation ofthe lever and will not need to bear the load on the lever and drumduring either the forward or reverse operation of the drum and,therefore, will not become distorted.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated one example of myinvention but it is to be understood that specific details may be variedwithout departing from the basic principles of my invention.

In these drawings:

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line 11 of Figure4 through a winch which embodies my invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the yoke which carries the feed pawl and thespring which controls the position nism which is actuated by oscillationof an associated lever or handle to rotate the drum. The pawl andratchet mechanism includes a feed pawl and a stop pawl. A simple springarrangement is provided for setting the feed pawl for rotation of thedrum in a forward or cable winding direction or in a reverse or cableunwinding direction. To cause the feed pawl to function in a forward ora reverse direction a single simple cam is associated with the drum.This single cam not only functions to assist in engaging the feed pawlto cause it to act as a stop pawl with the ratchet in a reversingdithereof.

Figure 3 is a detail in section taken along line 3-3 of Figure 4 showingthe reversing cam in the inoperative position it occupies during thepulling or power applying operation of the winch.

Figure 4 is a plan view, partly broken away, of the entire winch.

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along line 5-5 ofFigure 4 illustrating the action of the reversing mechanism includingthe reversing cam.

With reference to the drawings, I have illustrated in Figures 1 and 4the general structure of the winch or power puller and hoist in which myinvention is embodied.

This winch includes a frame 10 of elongated form which is ofsubstantially rectangular outline but has the converging ends 11 and 12.The end 12 is provided with an anchoring hook 13 for anchoring the frameto a suitable support whereas the end 11 is provided with a dependingcable guide 14 through which the cable 15, which is to be wound on thewinch, is passed. This cable may be part of a block and tacklearrangement for pulling or raising a suitable load. It is to beunderstood that although I refer to a cable, my winch is applicable topulling on a rope or even a chain or other flexible member which can bewound on the drum of the winch.

Transversely disposed within the frame 10 and mounted for rotation onthe frame is the spool or drum 16. The drum 16 is provided withtrunnions 17 which are rotatably disposed in bearing openings in thesides of the frame 10. Directed chordally (Figure 4) through the drum 16is a socket 18 for receiving the end of the cable. This end of the cableis anchored in the socket by means of a pointed anchoring plug 19 whichis threaded radially through the surface of the drum through a radialbore 20 into the socket 18 so as to engage the cable, it being apparentthat the bore 20 is at right angles to the socket 18. Also associatedwith the drum is a cable guide in the form of an upstanding leaf spring21 (Figure 1) which is disposed within the sides of the frame, extendingfrom one side to the other, and is spaced from the periphery of the drumas shown in Figure 1. This upstanding leaf spring 21 is carried by aU-shape bracket 22 which depends from the sides of the frame and issecured thereto. This guide will aid in proper positioning of the cableas it winds on the drum.

Above the bearing openings for the drum trunnions 17, the frame 10 isprovided with the upstanding yoke bearings '25, as shown best in Figures1, 3 and 4. These bearings receive the pivots 26 which are provided forthe yoke 27. The yoke 27 straddles the frame 10 with its lower endsdisposed outside the adjacent bearings 25. The yoke 27 is provided witha socket 23 for receiving the lower end of a handle or lever '29, whichmay be secured therein by means of a cotter key 30.

It will be noted best from Figures 1 and 3 that the 3 yoke pivot points26, which are the fulcrum for the lever 29, are disposed eccentricallyrelative to the axis of trunnions 17 of the drum 16.

On each end, the drum is provided with an integral ratchet wheel 31. Forcooperating with this ratchet wheel, the yoke 27 carries the feed pawl32. This feed pawl is a double pawl so that it will cooperate with bothratchet wheels 31 and includes a central transverse sleeve 33 (Figure 2)through which is passed a pivot pin 34 that extends through openingsformed in the sides of the yoke 27. One arm of the pawl is provided witha narrow tooth 35 for engaging the teeth of the associated ratchet wheel31 and the other arm is provided with a wide tooth 36 which engages theteeth of the associated ratchet wheel 31 but which also extendsoutwardly therebeyond to provide a cam-engaging extension 37.

In order to set the feed pawl 32 in either of two positions, anoff-center spring arrangement is provided as shown best in Figures 1, 2,3 and 5. In one position, the feed pawl will be set to engage the teethof the ratchet wheels 31 for rotation of the drum in a forward orcablewinding direction and in the other position, the pawl will be setto permit reverse rotation of the drum in a cableunwinding direction.This spring includes a wire spring 40 which is bent in a flat plane andis pivoted inside the yoke at 41 for pivotal movement in a plane atright angles to the plane of bend of the spring. The free end 42 of thespring is disposed between a pair of lugs 43 and 44 which projectradially from the pawl 32, the pawl being provided with a cam surface 45of arcuate form between the lugs and with which the spring end 42resiliently engages.

When the spring 40 is swung to the off-center position shown in Figure3, the end 42 thereof engages the lug 44 of the pawl and springs thepawl clockwise as viewed in Figure 3 to cause the pawl to engage theteeth of the ratchets 31 so that when the yoke is swung towards theright in Figure 3, the drum 16 is rotated in a cable-winding direction.On the other hand, when the off-center spring 40 is swung in theopposite direction to engage the lug 43 of the pawl, as shown in Figure5, the pawl is rotated in a clockwise direction as viewed in this figureuntil the lug 43 strikes a stop pin 46 which is provided on the adjacentside of the yoke 27. This will swing the pawl teeth 35 and 36 away fromthe teeth of the ratchet wheels 31 to permit the yoke 27 to swing in acounterclockwise direction as viewed in Figure without having the pawlteeth 35 and 36- engage the ratchet wheel until towards the end of thestroke when the reversing cam 50 functions as shown in Figure 5. Theaction of this cam will be explained later.

In addition to the feed pawl 32, I have provided the stop pawl 51 whichnormally prevents reversing movement of the ratchet wheels 31, asindicated in Figure 3. Thispawl 51, as shown best in Figures 3, 4, and5, comprises'a tubular or sleeve section 52 through which a pivot pin 53passes. The end of this pin 53 is disposed in upstanding bearings 54provided on the sides of the frame in longitudinally spaced relationshipto the upstanding yoke bearings 25. This pawl 51 is a double pawl and isprovided with teeth 55 and 56 on its arms for cooperating with the teethofthe ratchet wheels 31 so as normally to prevent reverse movement ofthe drum. A torsion spring 57 is anchored to the frame at 58 andsurrounds. the sleeve 52 of the pawl to which it is anchored so. as toserve to normally swing the pawl towards the ratchet wheels 31 to engagethe pawl teeth 55 and 56 with the ratchet teeth to prevent reverserotation of the drum. The..pawl sleeve 52 is provided with a radiallyextending handle 52a by means of which the stop pawl may be manuallydisengaged from the ratchet wheels 31 by over coming'the force exertedby the spring 57-. Associated with the pawl tooth 56 is an outwardlyprojecting camengaging lug 59.

It will be notedbestfrom Figure 3 that the yoke 27 carries a stop lug 60at each side thereof which will engage with a stop edge 61 formed on theupstanding pawl bearing 54 at the corresponding side of the frame 10.These stops will provide a positive means for limiting the swinging ofthe yoke 27 clockwise, as viewed in Figure 3, which is the direction inwhich it is swung during the forward advancing of the drum 16 to windthe cable.

The reversing cam 50., previously referred to, is a simple cam platewhich is mounted at one side of the frame 10 between one of the yokebearings 25 and the adjacent end of the drum 16. The cam 50 is pivotedat 62 to the frame and is normally swung into contact with the trunnionbearing 17a on the corresponding end of the drum 16 by means of atension spring 63 which is connected to the lower end of the cam plateat 64 and which is anchored to the side of the frame 10 at 65. The cam50 is provided with an upwardly extending cam lug 66 which will act torelease the stop pawl 51 from the ratchet wheels 31 and with anupstanding cam lug 67 which will function to return the cam to theposition shown in Figure 3 and permit reengagement of the stop pawl 51.

In the operation of the winch, the reversing cam 50 will function asindicated below. Normally, during the power applying or forward rotationof the drum 16, the cam 50 will function as indicated in Figure 3. Thespring 40 will be set as shown in Figure 3 so that the teeth 35 and 36of the feed pawl 32 will be held in resilient con tact with the teeth ofthe ratchet wheels 31. Consequently, as the lever 29 and yoke 27 areswung in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 3, the drum 16 willbe rotated in a cable-winding or forward direction. The yoke 27 willswing in the forward direction until the stops 60 thereon contact thestops 61 on the frame 10. During this swinging action, the adjacenttooth 36 and cam-engagingextension 37 thereof provided on the feed pawl32 will miss the upstanding cam lug 67, as indicated in Figure 3.However, the extension 37 will en gage the cam lug 66 and rotate the camclockwise slightly and the cam lug 66 will contact the pawl lug 59 onthe stop pawl 51 so as to release the stop pawl from the ratchet wheels31 but the. feed pawl 32 will be in engagement with the ratchet wheels31 at this time. This motion of the cam at this time is a lost motion asit performs nodesired function during the pulling stroke of the lever29. However, this lost motion will not occur as the operator becomes.experienced with operation of the. ma.- chine and stops swinging of thelever 29 short of the point where the feed pawl 32 contacts the cam 50.Shortly after rotation of the earn the stops 60 and 61. engage with eachother to limit movement of the lever 29. It will be noted that duringthis pulling movement of the lever 29, the pawl extension 37 will missthe stop 61 at the corresponding side. Reverse swinging movement of thelever 29 will cause the extension 37 to engage the cam lug 67 and returnthe cam to its original position. Thus, unrestricted movement of theyoke 27 and lever 29 during the pulling action will be permitted by thereversing cam. 50 and oscillations of these members will move the drum16 in a forward pulling or cable-winding direction.

To reverse the rotation of the drum 16, it is merely necessary to resetthe spring 40. The spring is moved to the position. shown in Figures 1and, 5. This, as shown by the broken lines in Figure 1, will throw the,teeth of the feed pawl 32 outwardly away from the teeth of the ratchetwheels 31. Consequently, when the yoke 27 and lever 29 are swungcounterclockwise as viewed in Figure l, the feed pawl will not engagethe ratchet wheels 31. At this time, the stop pawl 51 is still inengagement with the ratchet wheels 31 to prevent reverse rotation of thedrum 16, it being understood that there is a, load on the cable 15 whichhas been woundon the drum. Thefeed pawl 32 will not engage the ratchetwheels31 again until the toothextension 37 of therpawl engagestheinclined stop surface 61 at the same side bias spring.

which will force it inwardly over the edge of the cam ing 66 with whichit will engage. Due to the outward position of the pawl 32, theextension 37 will first engage the cam lug 66 adjacent its outer end andwill therefore rotate it about its pivot 62, and as the yoke 27continues to swing, the extension 37 will follow the edge of the lug 66inwardly causing the teeth of the feed pawl to engage with the ratchetwheels 31. As shown in Fig. 5, the edge of the cam lug 66 assists incausing the teeth of the feed pawl 32 to engage with the ratchet wheels31, but basically the inclined stop surface 61 of the frame and theadjacent vertical edge of the corresponding bearing 54 of the frame"would guide the extension 37 andjforce theteeth of the feed pawl toengage the ratchet wheels 31 at the desired point even if the cam werenot there. After the teeth of the feed pawl 32 engage the ratchet wheels31 and cause the feed pawl to pick up the load, the cam 50 will continueto rotate until its lug 66 engages the stop pawl lug 59 and swings thestop pawl teeth 55 and 56 out of contact with the ratchet wheels 31. Thecam 50 will be rotated by engagement of the extension 37 with theadjacent edge of the cam lug 66 about the pivot 62 until the notch 68provided in the opposite edge of them lug 66 receives the lug on thepawl 51 which will serve to lock the cam in the position shown in Figure5. At this time, the stop pawl 51 will be completely disengaged from theratchet wheels 31. However, since the teeth of the feed pawl 32 wereforced into engagement with the ratchet wheels 31 and the feed pawlpicked up the load before the stop pawl 51 was disengaged from theratchet wheel, the feed pawl will now serve as a stop pawl to preventreverse motion of the drum 16 until the yoke 27 and lever 29 are swungin the opposite direction. At this time, the lever 29 and yoke 27 willbe in the full line position shown in Figure 1.

If the lever 29 and yoke 27 are now swung in a clockwise direction asviewed in Figures 1 and 5, the reverse movement of the feed pawl 32 willcause the extension 37 thereof to engage the cam lug 67 and swing thecam 50 clockwise about the pivot 62 thereby unlocking it and permittingthe stop pawl 51 to again engage the ratchet wheels 31. However, beforethis engagement, the ratchet wheels 31 will have reversed to the extentof one tooth. The feed pawl 32 cannot move away from the cam 50 holdingthe stop pawl 51 away from the ratchet wheels 31 without first releasingthe cam and permitting the pawl 51 to lock the ratchet wheels 31 againbefore the feed pawl is released from the ratchet wheels 31.

My winch provides for simple positive and foolproof reversing action inconjunction with a double leverage construction. The double leverageresults from the fact that the lever 29, the yoke 27 and the feed pawl32 are pivoted at the pivots 26 which are located on a different spacedaxis from the axis of the trunnions 17 on which the ratchet wheels 31and drum 16 are mounted.

The leverage of the pawl 32 acting against the ratchet wheels 31 and theleverage of the drum 16 against the cable 15 thereby multiply themechanical advantage of the winch. The reversing mechanism is extremelysimple comprising a spring-held single cam and one adjustable The cam ispivoted about an axis independent of the drum axis and is so disposedthat it will not interfere with the normal oscillation of the lever forrotating the drum in a forward direction. The cam is positive in action,however, when the feed pawl is biased into position to operate thereversing mechanism. The cam is not subject to any of the load appliedto the drum and, therefore, will not be distorted by such force.Distortion is further prevented by the provision of the positive stopsbetween the lever yoke and the frame. The cam is free and positive inaction with good mechanical advantage in applying the force of the feedpawl, which actuates it, to the stop pawl, and good mechanical advantagewhen the stop pawl and associated spring and aiding in moving the camout of locking position and Wvhen the cam spring is holding the camclear of the feed pawl during the forward movement of the drum. The camaction is absolute and positive. It is impossible to lose the loadunless the machine breaks or the operator intentionally releases theload by manually lifting the stop pawl from the ratchet wheels.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, the principles ofthis invention have been explained and have been illustrated anddescribed in what is now considered to represent the best embodiment.However, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appendedclaims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specificallyillustrated and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is;

l. A winch of the type described comprising a rotatable drum havingratchet means associated therewith, a lever oscillatable to actuate saidratchet means to rotate the drum, said ratchet means comprising aratchet wheel fixed to the drum, a feed pawl carried by the lever, meansfor adjusting the feed pawl on the lever to an advancing position whereit engages the teeth of the ratchet wheel so that oscillation of thelever will rotate the drum in a forward direction or to a reversingposition where it is spaced from the ratchet teeth so that oscillationof the lever will not rotate the drum in a forward direction but willpermit reversal thereof, a stop pawl engaging the teeth of the ratchetwheel to prevent reverse rotation of the drum as it is advanced in aforward direction, fixed cam means adjacent the path of movement of thelever for engaging the feed pawl upon swinging of the lever in a forwarddirection only when the feed pawl is set at reversing position to engagethe feed pawl with the ratchet teeth to cause it to function as a stoppawl for the reversing movement of the drum, and a cam movably mountedadjacent the ratchet wheel and positively engaged by said feed pawl uponthe camming thereof by said fixed cam upon further swinging of the leverin said forward direction to positively move the movable cam intoengagement with the stop pawl to thereby release the stop pawl from theratchet teeth to permit such reversing movement under control of thelever.

2. A winch according to claim 1 including means for locking the movablecam in the said position where it engages the stop pawl and releases itfrom the ratchet teeth, said means comprising interlocking portions onthe said movable cam and the stop pawl, a lug on said movable cam, andmeans for releasing said interlocking portions, said last-named meanscomprising a lug-engaging extension on said feed pawl for engaging saidlug upon swinging of the lever in a reverse direction to move said camin the opposite direction to thereby permit the stop pawl to againengage the ratchet teeth.

3. A winch of the type described comprising a frame, a drum rotatablymounted on the frame, a ratchet wheel fixed with the drum for rotationtherewith, a lever pivoted to the frame for oscillation, a feed pawlpivoted to the lever for cooperating with the teeth of the ratchetwheel, means for adjusting the feed pawl on the lever about its pivot toan advancing position where it engages the ratchet teeth so thatoscillation of the lever will rotate the drum in a forward direction orto a reversing position where it is spaced from the ratchet teeth sothat oscillation of the lever will not rotate the drum in a forwarddirection but will permit reversal thereof, a stop pawl pivoted to theframe and normally engaging the ratchet teeth to prevent reverserotation of the drum as it is advanced in a forward direction, a camedge on the frame adjacent the path of movement of the lever serving asa top member which engages the lever to limit swinging in a forwardadvancing direction and engaged by the feed pawl upon oscillation of thelever only when the pawl is set at reversing position to cause the feedpawl to engage the ratchet wheel and to function as a t p pawl fq he r sn m m n n M mi tat ably monnted on the frame adjacent the ratchet wheelvand po tivel g e by e f d w n t is, set in reversi ig v position uponsaid oscillation of the lever topositively engage the stop pawltorelease it from the ratchet wheel to permit such reversing movement ofthe under control of the lever said feed pawl having a cam-engagingportion, which upon oscillation of the lever in one direction with thepawl in reversing position first engages the cam edge and then engagestheirotatable cam and swings it in one direction about its pivot intoengag ment with the stop pawl for releasing itfrom the ratchet and uponswinging-of the lever in the opposite direction engages the rotatablecam and returns itto its original position.

4. A winch according to claim 3 in which the means for setting the feedpawl in advancing or reversing position is an off-center spring carriedby the lever and engaging the pawl.

i 5. A winch according to claim 4 in which the spring is bent into loopsand is pivoted to thelever for swing ing movement in a plane atrightangles to the plane of bend, said spring having its free end disposedbetween positioning lugs carried by said pawl and which are spacedangularly of the pivot thereof.

6., winchaccordingto claim 3 in whichthe rotatable am. s ,P qv dedwittwo c gs, n o whi h s eng ge by the-fe paw Whmit se i evers ng, po ition uponswinging of the lever in, drum advancing ne oon nd" he. o he iwhich a d y th e d pawl. uponswinging of the lever. indrurn reversingdig tiQn- 7. A winch, according to claim 6 in which resilient means isprovided for maintaining the rotatable cam its original position, alockinglug carried by the stop. pawl and adapted tobe engaged by alocking notch in the edge of the rotatable cam when the cam is, movedinto engagement with the stop pawl.

Re erenc sv C ed in the file this Pate UNITED STATES PATENTS 552,044.Crooker Dec. 24, 1 895 1,236,616 Snow t Aug. 14, 1917 1,466,784Brauti'garn n Sept. 4, 1923' 2,363,138 Moore V Nov. 21, 1944 2,501,253Anglemyer. Mar. 21,, 1950 2,633,328 Wallace Mar. 31, 1953; 2,738,954 DuBois Mar, 20, 1956 2,816,733 Du Bois r Dec. 17, 1957 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 2,890,857 June 16,1959 David B. Hoffman It is hereby certified that error appears in the-printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correctionand that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 6, line '71, for "top" read stop Signed and sealed this 13th dayof October 1959.

Attest:

KARL H, YAXLTNE ROBERT C. WATSON Attesting Oflicer Commissioner ofPatents

